Thoughts from the interface of science, religion, law and culture

After spending several years touring the country as a stand up comedian, Ed Brayton tired of explaining his jokes to small groups of dazed illiterates and turned to writing as the most common outlet for the voices in his head. He has appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show and the Thom Hartmann Show, and is almost certain that he is the only person ever to make fun of Chuck Norris on C-SPAN.

EVENTS

Cuomo Blasts Wingnut Rabbi

In compiling a list of those wingnuts — Christian, Jewish and Muslim varieties — who immediately blamed Hurricane Sandy on gay rights, abortion or whatever else they hate, I missed Rabbi Noson Leiter, Executive Director of Torah Jews for Decency. But New York Governor Andrew Cuomo didn’t. He put out a press release hammering the guy:

“The comments made by Rabbi Noson Leiter that sought to link the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy to our state’s embrace of marriage equality are as offensive as they are ignorant. This catastrophic storm claimed the lives of more than forty New Yorkers. This kind of hateful rhetoric has no place in our public discourse, and is particularly distasteful in times of tragedy. Our state is proud to offer equal rights to all our citizens, and we will never tolerate the use of a tragedy like Hurricane Sandy to promote a divisive and bigoted agenda. I call on Rabbi Leiter to apologize immediately for his hurtful comments.”

The only part I disagree with there is the last sentence. Why call on him to apologize? What would it possibly mean if he did? He actually believes that, so any apology would be hollow anyway. But I like that Cuomo is publicly calling the guy out for being an asshole. I almost wish I lived in New York so I could vote for that guy.

But I like that Cuomo is publicly calling the guy out for being an asshole. I almost wish I lived in New York so I could vote for that guy.

Been there, done that, have the T shirt.

He’s not perfect, of course … his response to Sandy was maybe not up to snuff and he was probably part of the problem that led to the massive fail of the power authority on Long Island … but as politicians go, he’s definitely one of the better ones. New York’s marriage equality law is almost entirely his doing.

I try to argue with wingnuts on their terms. In this instance I would ask: “Was Hurricane Sandy and act of god?” and: “Did Hurricane Sandy help Obama to be reelected?” If the answers are yes, then it is safe to assume that god wanted Obama to win.

Gay bashing has always referred to viscous beatings of people perceived as being gay. As usual, religious fundamentalists like this rabbi portray themselves as victims of bashing when they aren’t allowed to persecute people other people.

Why call on him to apologize? What would it possibly mean if he did? He actually believes that, so any apology would be hollow anyway.

And that is exactly why Cuomo should call for an apology. The Rabbi’s response to the request for an apology is likely to be a doubling-down, or an appalling not-pology. And it will be condemned as such. Either way, supporters of marriage equality get another (well-deserved) chance to harangue the rabbi. The extra round of reinforcement helps spread the message. Changing the rabbi’s beliefs is not the point.

This kind of hateful rhetoric has no place in our public discourse . . .

Of course it has a place, we need to understand what people are thinking in order to optimize the quality of the debate. People do vote after-all.

If we all practiced the principles of secularism within the public square which created the Constitution, the Governor wouldn’t have demanded an apology but instead demanded the Rabbi present convincing evidence his assertions are true. This was a teachable moment opportunity with the governor instead responding with a juvenile pout. The problem is that the governor can’t be appear to embrace a naturalistic perspective that leaves no room for God, so he’s stuck with, “take it back and shut up!”.

It’s my perspective that telling others to ‘shut up’ almost always reveals a weakness in one’s own position with no desire to adapt to another position. I suspect that’s true here.

The “teachable moment” is the public nature of the apology. It’s not Rabbi Noson Leiter being taught — fuck him, after all — it’s the onlooking public, especially including those who follow the embarrassed rabbi.

The lesson is: Think what you like. But some things, you will damned well not say in public.

@7 – According to the wingnut’s interpretation of the bible, god gave use the planet to exploit as we see fit…so global warming can’t be a cause of god’s wrath. Keep in mind, most of them think global warming is just liberal / atheist / science lies anyways…

To veer slightly, this storm surge was absolutely predicted. I was reading a government report on it and it was all there, subways flooded, tunnels and lower Manhatten flooded. The date was 2011. It wasn’t a report, it was a prediction by the Army corp of engineers among others.

This is going to happen more and more often with sea level rise and global warming, which are getting to be facts, not theories.

We are going to adapt, whether we like it or not. Already there are plans floating around for $20 billion Dutch style storm surge infrastructure systems. It might sound like a lot of money but this storm did something like $30 billion in damage.

I doubt it will happen until there are a few more storm surges like this. Humans really don’t react fast or well to future events.

The problem is that the governor can’t be appear to embrace a naturalistic perspective that leaves no room for God, so he’s stuck with, “take it back and shut up!”.

Excellent point. That’s one of the big problems with dealing with religious belief by only attacking the conclusions you don’t like and refusing to deal with whether the entire method makes any sense in the first place. You give up persuasion — and what’s left is force.

This kind of hateful rhetoric has no place in our public discourse . . .

Here’s something funny that happened last week. One of my nice, liberal, New-Agey friends told me she thought Hurricane Sandy was the direct result of how angry people have been over the election. When people have hateful or bitter thoughts, these thoughts merge together somewhere and somehow and become a force — an angry, hateful, destructive force — and this is manifested in the weather. Oh, if only people would not be so divisive and upset over politics. Look what they did.

Somehow, she doesn’t think she’s doing the same thing as wingnuts who blame Hurricane Sandy on gay marriage. No. It’s totally different, you see — because she’s on the side of Love and Peace and Tolerance and they are not. That’s what matters here.

I don’t know. Even given that truncated method of evaluation, blaming people’s thoughts for for causing hurricanes still looks like blaming people’s thoughts for causing hurricanes. And don’t give me that “it’s not judgmental” crap.